Welcome reader to my blog - a mixture of this and that. Now that we are living in a retirement community in downtown Columbia, MD my personal gardening activities are somewhat curtailed. I still enjoy visiting gardens, reading, watching wildlife on my walks, traveling, and occasional food commentary. Please leave a comment if you feel inspired to do so. I read every one of them.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

When I've purchased daffodils in the past so often the key word in selecting my choice was "naturalize". But it's not just daffodils that naturalize. Any perennial that puts out its share of seeds is going to naturalize as I've learned in the pond garden. The two clumps of yellow iris I purchased now completely surround the pond.

I have black-eyed susans growing where I didn't plant them.

And now the Joe Pye weed is naturalizing.

This is the first year that its done it in earnest.

Other years there have been a shoot here and there that I would purposely transplant with no luck. This year, new clumps are forming in other spots around the pond. It's decision time: do I let it naturalize? I had no choice with the cattails which I didn't plant.

They did that all on their own despite my attempts to stop them. A willow tree has appeared that I consistently cut down to no

avail. Then there is the ajuga.

I planted it to be a ground cover along the edge of the pond long before the irises took off. Friday I discovered it had spread quite a bit under its layer of Japanese stilt grass. But then I had intended that it naturalize.

Here's one last plant growing in the glen garden. I've left it there undisturbed because I like the looks of it.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Just in from picking in the vegetable garden. The thunder was rumbling while I was there so I hope some rain is in the clouds for us.

My first 2013 cucumber. Many more smaller versions out there to be picked in the days ahead.

Basil doing okay. Some of the leaves have been nibbled by something but this bunch will go with the cucumber tonight.

A fair sized tomato. Haven't had one for awhile after the first from the patio and Rutgers plants produced one or two each. This one is also a Rutgers but ... something else got to it first. I'll see what I can salvage.

A mess of green beans. We have been enjoying these for the last two weeks and now my second planting is producing as well. Just in time because the first planting is about spent.

These olive tomatoes are producing like crazy. I pop these in my mouth for a snack.